With a band like this, it's hard to place exactly where and how it came about. It could be an amalgamtion of subconscious, musical unrest. It could be the hard trials and retrievals of a group of musicians, dissatisfied with the tepid and barren world of modern alternative musical rebellion. Or, it could just be some twenty-something stuck in his room weekend after weekend, desperate to release his sad, sad musings on the world in one form or another.

The Nothing Engine was hand-reared by spawned as a brain-wrong by Richard Fox, a member of the previously-together Shropshire hardcore outfit, Restraint. After the demise of Restraint, Richard took a step back from the live music scene for two reasons;

one - he was tired of the uphill struggle of being in UKHC band which was basically situated in middle of nowhere.

two - he thought of himself a bit of a ballet dancer.

Well, the ballet fell through, so Richard found himself back at square one. The idea of forming another band came around, but this time he wanted it to be very different in comparison to Restraint. Aside from the fact that he wanted to play an instrument in the band, Richard also wanted the sound to be a lot different. His previous band had been a heavy, Victory Records-style outfit, with comparisons oft' made to chunky deperados like Snapcase, Hatebreed, and even Earth Crisis. This band would be different, with much more of a melodic, less in-your-face approach. More the 'Fluffy Bunny' act, if you like. A band you could take back to meet your mother. Anyway..

First thoughts comprised the band as a four-piece; two guitar / singers, a bassist, and a drummer. Richard approached his old friends and tennis partners, Daniel Berry and Craig Godbold, both with Shrewsbury tumour-metallers, Hilkah. Dan B was the vocalist in Hilkah, but had done guitar work in previous bands, and Craig, although the guitarist, had also played the bass before. The drum stool was filled by Oliver Davis, an old compardre of Richard's and also the drummer in rock-pom poms, Omatic. They began rehearsing almost immediately, and songs began to flow forth like Ribena from the gates of Hades.

As the band progressed, Dan B left under mysterious circumstances. Some say he was abducted by folk who had taken the plot of The Wicker Man a little too seriously. Some say he'd choked on a piece of under-cooked Tofu. Some say he just didn't have time for both The Nothing Engine, Hilkah, and his imminent university placement. The truth is yet to be told...

The band's first live performance was at The Butter Market in Shrewsbury on 30th april '02, with bands including New-Sense, Nervous Fish, and The Hollow Earth Theory (which featured ex-members of Restraint also). The Nothing Engine played as a three-piece. By that time, they had recorded their first CDThe Silent Song, between their practise room and in two bedrooms, with Craig at the recording console. The CD came out well, the gig was a success, and the CD sold out that night (all 20 copies!) The gig was so good, in fact, that Craig left shortly afterwards.

Left as just Rich and Oliver, the next logical step would be to recruit more musicians. The next step they actually took was to recruit more musicians. Well, a musician. Deciding to keep the band to a three-piece and handle all guitar duties himself, Rich invited old friend, old housemate, and old Miniature Golf rival Daniel Parker to play bass. Dan P had worked many times previously with Oliver in bands such as The Stutterkicks, Poo Doo, and Pilot Pylon Project, so their introduction was not only unneccesary, but also sinister and intruiging. Dan P had not played bass in a band before, so it was as fresh a start for him as it was for Rich. It wasn't really a fresh start for Oliver because he always plays the drums in bands. However, so he didn't feel left out, Dan and Rich let him play the tenor sax at every odd numbered practise.

Since the advent of Dan P arriving in the band, they've written songs, played songs and watched television many times over. And, if fate has any say in it, they will for many years to come...